Slithery surprise in Bunbury suburb

Nicole Asher, BUNBURY HERALDBunbury Herald

Tue, 3 February 2015 2:34PM

Deadley snakes are venturing further into the suburbs in search of food, warns an Eaton snake removal expert.

A tiger snake was caught in the backyard of a unit on Spencer Street in South Bunbury on Thursday - the first of its type removed from a suburban Bunbury home this summer.

Roo Rescue wildlife carer and snake handler Kim Grant said dry weather had likely forced the metre-long tiger snake to leave Big Swamp in search of food.

Two of the highly-venomous snakes have been caught this summer from homes near waterways in Dardanup but Ms Grant said it was unusual to find them away from the swamp in Bunbury.

Ms Grant said the tiger snake may have been attracted to the backyard because of a number of frogs living there.

Bunbury city planning and development services director Bob Karaszkewych said the city rangers had no reports of tiger snakes leaving Big Swamp in favour of backyards, nor had there been an increase in the reporting of snakes in the city this summer.

Department of Parks and Wildlife wildlife officer Pia Courtis agreed it was unusual.

She said although it was snake season she had not had many reports of snakes venturing into the suburbs.

She advised anyone who did come across a snake in their backyard or home to give it space.

"Don't try to kill or catch the snake because that's when people get bitten," Ms Courtis said.

"Make sure grass is mowed down low so there is no habitat for them."

She was confident most snakes would remain in the swamp area.

"They pretty much live on frogs and there's plenty of water in Big Swamp so there'd be plenty of frogs," Ms Courtis said.

Slithery surprise in Bunbury suburb

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